Just My Type
by Surreptitious Chi X
Summary: Post SotS, AU short story-verse Heligabalus. Artemis is frustrated with his love life because he can't seem to attract people who are his type. Jarlaxle sets that impression straight.
1. Chapter 1

Just My Type

* * *

><p>Something Artemis Entreri hated more than the cold in Heliogabalus, more even than the name Heliogabalus, was the people of Heliogabalus. Or rather, the people he seemed to attract by some miracle of bad luck. The instant Jarlaxle got up to go relieve himself, a man who could've been an oversized, obese dwarf increased his bedroom eyes at Artemis by tenfold and rose from his chair across the tavern.<p>

Artemis hoped with every fiber of his being that the man was simply getting up to return circulation to his fat, stubby legs.

Instead, the man sidled across the tavern with a smug waddle and sat down in the chair Jarlaxle had vacated.

"You're a stranger," the man said with an obvious leer. "Need a place to stay for the night?"

_ Oh, gods. Why?_ Artemis knocked back the rest of his drink. "Step away from me and do not talk to me again, or your family won't recognize your corpse."

The man turned two shades of pale and lumbered to his feet. He silently walked away.

Jarlaxle returned in time to see this exchange play out. The drow mercenary walked up to their table, chortling. "Not your type, I take it?"

Artemis glared at him.

"I was joking, of course," Jarlaxle explained. "I know you are not attracted to men."

The assassin stared at him flatly. "I never said that."

Jarlaxle rocked back on his heels, the sly smile instantly stolen.

Artemis took some satisfaction in that. "The only men who seem to ever be attracted to me are fat, slobbering fools." He flicked his hunting knife into the table. It buried itself in the oak with a thunk. He jerked it back out. "I prefer women because they're safer."

"Safer?" Jarlaxle echoed.

Artemis looked up at him with a shadow of a smile. "Cultural differences."

"Ah." Jarlaxle sat down and steepled his hands. "What kind of males do you wish you attracted?"

Artemis looked away. "Slim, trim warrior types. Someone who cares about the way they look. Someone with some self-respect. Someone preferably not too much taller than myself. Clean-shaven rather than bearded. Someone who has an actual personality going for them."

Jarlaxle's uncovered eye twinkled. "You mean like Drizzt Do'Urden."

Artemis instantly glared at him. "I am not attracted to Do'Urden."

Jarlaxle held up his hands. "I didn't mean Drizzt Do'Urden himself, but someone like Drizzt Do'Urden."

"You're still saying 'Drizzt Do'Urden' far too frequently for my taste."

Jarlaxle dropped his hands and dropped the objectionable name. "Perhaps I should be clearer: you seek an elf."

Artemis nodded slowly, choosing to ignore his partner's brief faux pas. He couldn't imagine any elf being interested in him, but in theory, he would definitely be interested in that elf. "Yes. As pathetically hopeless as that makes me, an elf would be ideal."

"I don't think you are pathetic at all," Jarlaxle protested.

Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"Many elves find humans attractive," Jarlaxle said. He gestured to his own chest with both hands. "I am one such elf."

"But you are only interested in women," Artemis said.

Jarlaxle smiled. "I never said that."

Artemis' chest abruptly burned. He pushed away from the table, stood up, and walked out. He knew that was the wrong response if he ever wanted to have a chance, but things had suddenly gone too far for him.

Hours later, Jarlaxle found him at their flat.

"Are you feeling calmer?" Jarlaxle asked. He tossed his hat, hooking it on a wall peg from across the room.

Artemis didn't comment on the show of skill, having seen it many times before. Instead, he resumed sharpening his spare daggers. He sat on his bed. The sound of whetstone was comforting. Familiar.

"I'll take that as a, 'No, not very,'" Jarlaxle said. He crossed the room and sat down on the side of his own bed, facing Artemis. Their beds were perhaps six feet apart.

Artemis didn't look up. "Why are you attracted to me?"

"Because you're beautiful, as well as being the most fascinatingly complicated person I've ever met," Jarlaxle said.

Artemis glanced up at him.

Jarlaxle wagged an index finger. "Note I said 'person'." He spread his hands. "Most people are simple. They are one way, and that is what they are, and they form fairly predictable patterns that one can then manipulate." He smiled self-deprecatingly. "Even if I wished to manipulate you, I do not think the results would be to anyone's liking, least of all my own. If you wish you may take that as a pragmatic reason why I do not try. Of course, that isn't the reason. The true reason why I do not manipulate you is because I respect you."

Artemis listened to that speech in silence. Then he returned to his dagger and the whetstone. "Get to the point."

Jarlaxle blinked, then chuckled. "If I have a point, I think it is that I would like to bring you pleasure if you would let me, but it wouldn't be pleasure if you didn't want it."

Artemis looked up again. This time, he examined Jarlaxle's face steadily. "You would...do something for me, because you find me worthy of pleasuring?"

Jarlaxle nodded. "That is the heart of it, yes."

Artemis considered that. "If I did...allow you this, would I be allowed to touch you in return?"

"If you wanted to," Jarlaxle said. "Yes."

At that, Artemis didn't think he could say no. That was both of his fantasies at once: being pleasured by a beautiful male and being allowed to touch a beautiful male. "Now?"

Jarlaxle smiled, looking pleased and hopeful. "If you like."

Artemis set aside his equipment. "I do."

Jarlaxle sat up, walked to Artemis' bed, and sat down. "Then relax, khal abbil." He reached out and stroked Artemis' arm. "Lean back against the headboard, lie down, whatever is most comfortable for you."

Artemis considered that instruction uncertainly. Finally, he opted to untie the leather strip holding his hair back and lie down on his back.

"Settled?" Jarlaxle asked.

Artemis nodded.

"Good." Jarlaxle took off his boots and lay down on his side facing Artemis, their bodies barely touching.

This close, Artemis could smell Jarlaxle's scent. It was clean and masculine, mixed in with the spicy smell of Jarlaxle's perfume. It was the current style for both men and women to wear personal scents, and Jarlaxle loved trends. He tentatively lifted his arm.

Jarlaxle shifted closer, snuggling right up to him, and splayed dark, slender fingers across his chest, resting his hand there. "You are very handsome, khal abbil. One would be justified in also saying beautiful. I have long noticed your physical attractiveness."

Artemis nodded and grudgingly admitted, "And I yours. But I never thought..."

Jarlaxle leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to Artemis' lips.

Pure fire burned in Artemis' veins. He wrapped his arms around Jarlaxle securely and pulled the drow on top of him. This was what he had been denied so long.

Jarlaxle took the hint. He kissed Artemis again, a long, slow, exploring kiss, stroking Artemis' cheeks with both hands.

Artemis gasped around the kiss and upturned his face to the touches, pressing into them. His hands came to rest on Jarlaxle's bottom of their own accord. He squeezed gently.

Jarlaxle moaned. Then he slipped his tongue into Artemis' mouth, which made Artemis moan.

Artemis arched, exposing his throat as Jarlaxle's kisses traveled down the soft, sensitive skin of his neck. It felt wonderful. His body certainly had no reservations about Jarlaxle. Over the course of the many months they'd done their business as partners, Jarlaxle had been fair, dividing pay based on who had done more work, honest about his motives, and a clean and courteous flatmate. Without intending to, Jarlaxle had won him over. He felt safe. And so he allowed Jarlaxle's lips and tongue to draw moans from him, allowed hot tingles to rush down his body and make him hard. He closed his eyes and relaxed, because he knew letting his guard down in this case was not letting go of control. A mere few words could control Jarlaxle. "Lower," he whispered.

Jarlaxle obligingly kissed lower, following the deep 'V' of Artemis' tunic.

"Use your hands," Artemis whispered. He guided Jarlaxle's hands under his tunic, to his chest.

Jarlaxle squirmed and grew harder against him. "Mmmn." Of their own accord, the drow's slender fingers found Artemis' nipples and caressed them into hardness.

Artemis moaned and shifted. "Yes."

Jarlaxle obligingly ran his thumbs over them, slowly at first and then faster, flicking. Artemis raised his hips, rubbing his trapped erection against Jarlaxle's. Then, hot and impatient, he yanked off his tunic, baring his upper body.

Jarlaxle smiled appreciatively. "May I...suck them?"

Artemis nodded.

Jarlaxle lowered his head and nuzzled Artemis' nipples, getting the assassin used to the feeling of his lips. Artemis moaned achingly. Jarlaxle slowly licked, kissed, and sucked, savoring him. Artemis squirmed, tightened his hands on Jarlaxle's waist, and let his hips rock, sucking in his breaths and exhaling them as low moans. Jarlaxle hummed in his throat while he tended to Artemis' nipples, clearly enjoying himself. That helped light Artemis' fire as well.

Finally, Artemis couldn't stand it any longer. "Stop."

Jarlaxle raised his head questioningly.

Artemis licked his lips, suddenly nervous. His trapped erection throbbed. "Would you be willing to...do you like to...?" He gestured down at himself.

Jarlaxle arched a brow. "Shall I guess?"

Artemis nodded, relieved.

Jarlaxle tapped his lower lip. "Do you want me to...pleasure you with my mouth, there?"

Artemis' nodded again. "But only if you would like to."

Jarlaxle gave him a sly grin that was all the answer he needed.

Feeling still hotter, and self-conscious, Artemis unlaced his breeches. Jarlaxle pulled them off. The drow unhesitatingly peeled his underwear off of him and revealed his glistening erection. A bead of wetness welled up just at the way Jarlaxle looked at him.

Jarlaxle stroked the tip of Artemis' erection with a fingertip, openly marveling. "So beautiful. How exposed you are."

Artemis flushed. "Exposed?"

Jarlaxle scooted down and licked it slowly, causing it to twitch. "Here. There is nothing...that is to say, no skin..."

Artemis understood, and that made him vastly curious. "It's called a circumcision. It's..." He moaned. Jarlaxle was now gently kissing his tip. "Tradition. Even godless families have this done for their children."

Jarlaxle popped it in his mouth and looked up at Artemis with such an unexpectedly sweet-natured expression that Artemis' chest tightened. He suckled it delicately before taking it back out of his mouth to speak. "Circumcision? Something is done to make this? It is a form of beauty enhancement?"

Artemis chuckled, flustered and amused. "Some would say so, yes. Mostly it is simply the way one expects a Calishite's body to look."

"Mmm." Jarlaxle stuck it back in his mouth. A blissful look came over the drow's features.

Artemis found himself watching, compelled, even while his body melted and his eyes tried to flutter closed. He moaned and sighed deeply.

Jarlaxle slowly worked more of Artemis into his mouth, moaning and sucking and licking. He squirmed, clearly aroused by what he was doing. His hands strayed to Artemis' balls and cradled them, stroking gently.

Artemis' legs quivered and fell open wider. "Oh, gods. Jarlaxle..."

Jarlaxle slowed down and looked up at him, making sure that wasn't a rebuke.

Artemis smirked. "Keep going. It feels great."

Jarlaxle brightened and redoubled his efforts to slowly devour Artemis' length.

Artemis bit his lip and used all his self-control to keep his hips from moving. "Mmph. Gods." He started to sweat. It had been a long time, so very long, that Artemis knew he couldn't handle much more of this. "I'm close."

Jarlaxle let Artemis free with a lick. "Close to what?"

"Orgasm."

"Oh!" Jarlaxle quickly resumed. His body felt hotter than before, and his uncovered eye shone.

The long, deep strokes paired with shorter, quicker ones undid Artemis completely. He came hard, hips jerking uncontrollably. He gasped, quivered, and sighed with every spasm. By the time he finished his body had gone limp. He couldn't have moved if he tried.

Jarlaxle straightened and licked his lips. Artemis saw with shock that Jarlaxle had swallowed. More than that, Jarlaxle looked pleased enough to purr. The drow mercenary slid up his body and collapsed at his side, snuggling. "Artemis...you are so delicious."

That sent a jolt of arousal through him, even though there was no way he could get up the energy to climax all over again.

Jarlaxle chuckled at his expression and nuzzled his neck. "Delicious."

Artemis somehow managed to move his hand. He gently stroked over Jarlaxle's hip, questing. Jarlaxle shifted and let him find it. The front of the drow's breeches was warm and wet, and his partner's erection was softening. Artemis pulled his hand back with a rare blush, confused and flattered.

Jarlaxle grinned. "I enjoyed you very much."

"Very well...but next time I will do something for you," Artemis said.

Jarlaxle grinned wider and hugged him. "Deal."

Artemis relaxed at the affection, silently acknowledged that it was sorely needed, and embraced Jarlaxle in return, settling down to ride out his afterglow in the arms of his new lover. _Finally, someone who is just my type. _


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

* * *

><p>It had been a hard day at work inside the city. A client had hired them to find an assassin before the assassin found his target, but predictably today was the very day the assassin chose to strike, it was pouring down rain, and they spent hours chasing the man around outside.<p>

Now, two mugs of mulled cider, two plates of pot roast, and two baths later, they were finally warm and dry. The chase, the kill, and the resulting creature comforts had an unexpected effect on Artemis. Artemis, who could usually go a month without feeling sexual urges of any kind, felt a buzzing of need and arousal in his stomach.

As he lay in bed listening to the crackle of the fire, contemplating his body's desires, Jarlaxle dressed in the corner. He'd taken his bath second, and his baths always lasted a lot longer than Artemis' baths. Jarlaxle was only now dried off and picking fresh clothing.

Artemis' gaze strayed to Jarlaxle and stayed there.

Jarlaxle wasn't facing him directly, and so didn't see that his companion was watching him. Already dressed in underwear, Jarlaxle pulled on a pair of soft wool breeches that had been dyed an expensive cherry red. He laced them up in front, checked his work, and then picked through his available shirts. Disregarding them with a slight frown, he skipped directly to his vest.

Artemis' gaze locked on Jarlaxle's exposed midline.

At the same moment, Jarlaxle turned to him, lips parted. Jarlaxle paused, arrested by that look. Their eyes met. Then Jarlaxle looked down at himself.

Artemis nodded slightly, his smile widening.

Jarlaxle looked back at him quickly, startled. Then, slowly, Jarlaxle took off his vest. First he shrugged it back, then he pulled out his right arm. As he slid the vest all the way off his left arm, he looked to Artemis questioningly.

Artemis allowed himself to show how attractive Jarlaxle's lean, muscular body was.

Jarlaxle smiled, a flash of real happiness and excitement. Then he quickly composed his look into a demurely seductive one.

Artemis almost laughed. Instead, he pinned Jarlaxle with a burning look and sauntered across the room, aware of every expression and gesture and schooling himself to be perfect. Jarlaxle leaned back against the footboard of his bed as Artemis drew close, not in a feeble attempt to defend himself but rather for support. Artemis raised a hand to Jarlaxle's face. He caressed Jarlaxle's smooth, warm cheek with his fingertips, trailing patterns over it. Jarlaxle's uncovered eye became half-lidded with pleasure and anticipation.

He would not disappoint.

Artemis slid his hand down to cup Jarlaxle's chin and leaned in, gently exploring Jarlaxle's lips with his. He felt a thrill at Jarlaxle's answering exploration in return, Jarlaxle's low, heartfelt moan. He pushed Jarlaxle against the footboard gently with his body, nudging their hips together. Jarlaxle shivered and wrapped both arms around his waist. Artemis smiled at that. Having his touch wanted, accepted, was a powerful thing.

Jarlaxle let him be in control, amazingly enough, allowing Artemis to set a slow and thorough pace. By the time Jarlaxle's mouth parted to admit Artemis' gently exploring tongue, they were both panting softly and throbbingly hard. Jarlaxle's tongue met his coyly, and they both moaned at the sensation. For several minutes they traded unhurried, intimate caresses.

Finally, Jarlaxle's legs buckled. Artemis caught him and lifted him onto the bed. Jarlaxle lifted his feet one by one, and Artemis smilingly took off Jarlaxle's boots. The trust traded in that moment resonated in his chest. Then he climbed onto the bed after Jarlaxle and settled on top of his partner.

Jarlaxle moaned softly and shifted, rubbing his hardened nipples against Artemis' clothed chest. An electric jolt of heat shot through Artemis at that.

Artemis slipped his hands between them and rubbed Jarlaxle's nipples with his fingers, gently tracing the shape of them. They were stiff and warm.

Jarlaxle moaned and arched, pressing their trapped erections together.

"Do you want me to continue?" Artemis asked.

"Yes," Jarlaxle said achingly.

Heat tingled and traveled down Artemis' body, settling in his groin. "They are sensitive, aren't they?" He kept rubbing.

"Yes." Jarlaxle closed his eyes and let his head tip back.

"What if I lick them?"

Jarlaxle's moan had a whimper mixed in. "Do."

Artemis slid down Jarlaxle's body and lowered his head, warm at having been given permission. He gave Jarlaxle's left nipple a tentative lick and looked up at Jarlaxle's face. The drow's expression was contracted in bliss. He smiled and returned to Jarlaxle's nipple, reassured.

Jarlaxle soon arched and squirmed under him at every movement of his lips or tongue, letting out a steady stream of gasps and whimpers. Artemis had never heard anything more arousing. He explored, savored, and sucked Jarlaxle's nipples until his partner's trapped erection was throbbing against his.

He paused and lifted his head. "Do you desire my mouth to do what yours has for me?"

Jarlaxle's uncovered eye widened, flustered. His ebon skin grew still darker, flushing. "I-I – would you -"

"I would," Artemis said. He understood the question, understood that Jarlaxle was hypersensitive to power dynamics, and disregarded those connotations of the act of going down on someone. It wasn't about submission, or even about some strange form of domination. It was about pleasure. If he could give it while going down on Jarlaxle – and he was certain he could – then he wanted to do it, to show his skill. He burned to prove that he could pleasure Jarlaxle just as effectively as Jarlaxle could pleasure him.

Jarlaxle spread his legs, that amazed expression still in place.

Artemis smirked and gently pulled Jarlaxle's breeches off. The way Jarlaxle's trapped erection tented out his underwear was deeply arousing. Even as he watched, it twitched. He carefully unwrapped Jarlaxle's underwear and revealed what was underneath. Though he'd deduced by their conversation yesterday that circumcision was not a drow custom, he was still surprised, for he had never seen a male without one. He brushed his fingers over Jarlaxle's length curiously. It was velvety soft and hot to the touch. Even at Jarlaxle's high state of arousal, only the very tip of Jarlaxle's tip showed. It glistened, a deep, rich red, darker in color to match Jarlaxle's skin.

Jarlaxle's breath hitched, and his chest heaved. He watched Artemis with anticipation and nervousness.

Artemis glanced up at Jarlaxle's face with a calm expression and then explored the contours of Jarlaxle's balls. There was no hair on Jarlaxle's body. He wondered if Jarlaxle shaved, or if elves were simply hairless except for their heads. At his touch, Jarlaxle uttered a low moan, and a bead of clear moisture dripped from Jarlaxle's tip. It landed on the back of Artemis' hand. Artemis, struck by a wicked idea, locked gazes with Jarlaxle and licked it off.

Jarlaxle's jaw dropped, and a quiver ran through his body.

Artemis grinned, confident in his ability to affect Jarlaxle after that exchange, and got into position, lying down on his stomach. He caught the tip of Jarlaxle's erection with his lips and licked.

Jarlaxle shivered and let out a low moan.

Artemis kept licking, slowly caressing over Jarlaxle's tip. When he had Jarlaxle crying out and squirming, he finally inched Jarlaxle into his mouth, sucking and licking a little more of his partner every few minutes.

Jarlaxle's hands were fisted in the sheets, and his legs fell open wide. He let out such sounds of gasping pleasure that Artemis was hot and hard against the mattress. To Artemis' relief and relaxation, Jarlaxle didn't try to move. He felt a sense of control about the situation, and he could focus on his technique and Jarlaxle's pleasure.

Artemis felt a sense of satisfaction when he got Jarlaxle almost completely inside his mouth. Jarlaxle wasn't thick, but was about six inches long. Especially for someone who had never done this before, he felt being able to go this far on the first try was an accomplishment. He took a deep breath through his nose and emulated what Jarlaxle had done for him: long strokes alternated with shorter, faster strokes. He found he liked the feeling of Jarlaxle sliding in and out of his mouth. Both the inside of his mouth and Jarlaxle's erection had sensitive, soft skin. Smoothness sliding against smoothness almost couldn't help but feel good.

Jarlaxle cried out, and loud exclamations burst out of him as Artemis worked. "Oh! Oh! Gods! Yes!"

Artemis' body burned pleasantly. Jarlaxle was more vocal than any of the women he'd slept with. Jarlaxle's melodious voice raised in ecstasy was one of the most beautiful sounds Artemis had ever heard.

He kept going until Jarlaxle was quivering nonstop and his partner's erection twitched inside his mouth. Then he glanced up and made a questioning vocalization.

Jarlaxle nodded, biting his lip. "Please...let me release."

Artemis didn't need any more encouragement. He resumed his efforts. In a matter of seconds, Jarlaxle came, gasping and sobbing. Artemis didn't think he could swallow, but he caught it all in his mouth and then rinsed out his mouth in the bathroom.

When he came back Jarlaxle was still spread eagle on the bed, glowing with sweat and pleasure. Artemis resigned himself to taking another bath. It was a small price to pay for physical intimacy. He then gently shifted Jarlaxle to the side of the bed and climbed in, taking the other side. Their beds were only large enough for one person by design, but since they were both thin, small people, they could both fit if Jarlaxle didn't lie in the middle. Once he was in bed he gathered Jarlaxle up in his arms and clutched the drow to him.

Jarlaxle snuggled against him tiredly in response.

Artemis had his ultimate answer: he was not just a tool, and their coupling was not merely a whim. Jarlaxle saw him as a person, and a person worthy of being a steady lover. They could satisfy each other in sexual bliss as they had in business: as partners.


End file.
